Photo Courtesy of Adam Ruff
Ohio State Football
The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes go on the road again to Eugene as they face the No. 3 Oregon Ducks this Saturday. This matchup marks the first time Ohio State will play one of the four new teams added to the Big Ten this season.
Ohio State’s defense has been dominating this season, ranking No. 1 in the nation in points and yards per game allowed, at 6.8 and 203.4 respectively. The offense is playing its part as well. On the back of quarterback Will Howard, they are averaging 46 points per game (No. 2 in NCAAF).
The Ducks slowly crept up the AP rank ladder within the past few weeks, making this the biggest matchup for the Buckeyes since their 24-30 loss against then No. 3 ranked Michigan last season. In a game that is critical for Ohio State to prove they can topple top ranked teams, here’s some keys to victory for the Buckeyes.
Rev Up the Turnovers
Despite a fantastic start to the season for Ohio State’s defense, the team is lacking in the turnover department, averaging just 1.8 takeaways a game.
However, the Buckeyes have a chance to increase their turnover margin Saturday as Oregon quarterback Dillion Gabriel struggled in the redzone against last week’s opponent, the Michigan State Spartans. Although they won in convincing fashion, the former Oklahoma passer threw two redzone interceptions against a subpar pass defense.
Combined with Oregon overall having some giveaway issues midway through the season, this matchup could be the game where the Buckeyes’ defense finally feels absolute.
Rush the Ducks
The arrival of Quinshon Judkins and Ohio State staple TreVeyon Henderson have made for arguably one of the best backfields in the country, with a combined 805 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns through five games. There is no reason to switch up the game plan in Eugene-- the Buckeyes should stick to the ground game to ensure their victory.
Against Bosie State, the Oregon run defense let up 221 rushing yards and three scores, many of those stats coming from Heisman favorite Ashton Jeanty. Although Henderson and Judkins may not be at the same level as Jeanty, it should be obvious to coach Ryan Day that the Ducks’ run defense should be where the offense chooses to attack.
Oregon is letting up almost four yards per carry this season, which when paired with Judkins 7.8 and Hendersons 8.0 YPC, meaning the product should be an impressive explosion of rushing talent for the Buckeyes.
Prevent a Precise Gabriel
Gabriel ranks first in completion percentage, by a wide margin. The Ducks’ quarterback is completing more than 77 percent of his pass attempts, a definitive highlight for the beginning-of-season Heisman favorite.
Ohio State’s pass defense ranks in the bottom half of completion percentage allowed, which could be a saving grace for the underdog Ducks. If Oregon wants to win this game, Gabriel must show out. Playing safe is a start.
For the Buckeyes to prevent an upset in Eugene, the secondary must lock up Oregon’s receivers to slow down Gabriel’s production. This will be a tall task though; Gabriel spreads the ball evenly to his pass-catchers. Wide receiver Tez Johnson is the clear No. 1 on the offense, however all four of the Ducks’ top pass-catchers have at least 15 receptions.
Wil Steigerwald is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com..
